ESPN Drops Mini-Bombshell on J.J. McCarthy
What’s to come for J.J. McCarthy after the Minnesota Vikings’ ownership fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah? All bets are off, says ESPN.
ESPN’s reporting paints McCarthy as less secure than expected, which drags veteran options, trade chatter, and summer competition into the spotlight.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports painted McCarthy’s future in a cloudy light late last week, and there’s no clear path for him to the QB1 job in 2026, the gig he held undisputedly last year.
ESPN Report Creates Fresh Doubt around J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings Outlook
Change may be on the way.
ESPN on McCarthy
Kevin Seifert examined the purple team’s offseason in the wake of Adofo-Mensah’s termination, and noted on McCarthy, “The best way to put this, based on what sources have said, is that all bets are off. The general manager who drafted McCarthy No. 10 in 2024 has been fired, and the coach who was in full agreement with that decision is now under considerably more scrutiny.”
“In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts. Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback’s rookie contract.”
Minnesota basically controls McCarthy’s affordable deal for two more years — three if he turns out to be good-good and the Vikings don’t mind paying about $40 million in 2028.
“Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to. If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026,” Seifert continued.
“The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year.”
The key takeaway? All bets are off.
Expect Competition
The Seifert reporting didn’t expressly say that McCarthy would be jettisoned from the Vikings’ roster via trade, but it did imply someone else is on the way — and that guy won’t be another Sam Howell or Carson Wentz-type.
Because of McCarthy’s already lengthy injury history, plus his ranking as the NFL’s worst quarterback in 2025 by almost all efficiency metrics, Minnesota may not have time wait out his development. The current regime faces win-now stakes, and to hedge their bets, it probably needs a quarterback who can win football games if McCarthy falters — or someone to take his job based on better summer performance.
How High to the Stars Do the Vikings Shoot?
The question quickly becomes: in the wake of the ESPN reporting, what type of quarterback will the Vikings seek?
Some are holding out hope that Minnesota could finagle a blockbuster trade for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson, but those theories are predicated on the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, respectively, selling their Top 5 quarterbacks, which just doesn’t seem likely.
If Minnesota wants a veteran passer to push McCarthy to the limit this summer, the options might look like this:
- Davis Mills (trade)
- Drew Lock (trade)
- Gardner Minshew
- Jake Browning
- Jameis Winston (trade)
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Marcus Mariota
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Russell Wilson
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Tua Tagovailoa (trade)
- Tyrod Taylor
Suppose they want a young passer with upside who could still salvage his career and eventually latch on as the full-time starter. That list looks like this:
- Anthony Richardson (trade)
- Davis Mills (trade)
- Jalen Milroe (trade)
- Malik Willis
- Spencer Rattler (trade)
- Will Levis (trade)
- Zach Wilson
And then there are the players who would probably take McCarthy’s job, somewhat easily:
- Aaron Rodgers
- Daniel Jones
- Kyler Murray (trade)
- Mac Jones (trade)
That’s the mystery right now: which path does head coach and de facto team CEO Kevin O’Connell prefer? With all bets are off lingo, it sure sounds like the splashiest method is on the table, whether that’s landing Kyler Murray or prying Joe Burrow away from Cincinnati.
McCarthy in 2025
McCarthy put some wonderful moments on tape; don’t forget those. Against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants, the second-year passer played phenomenally and even looked the part of a Pro Bowler in those contests.
But aside from those games, McCarthy battled two things: persistent injuries and poor performance. He finished 2025 ranked dead last in EPA+CPOE, and since joining the Vikings in 2024, McCarthy has missed 24 of 34 eligible games.
If the Vikings prefer free agency for the “other” quarterback, well, that process kicks off in one month. Trades can be negotiated and agreed upon at any time.
McCarthy turned 23 a few weeks ago.
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